


Wisps of Shadows

by andynebulae



Series: Shadows [1]
Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Caring Maxwell, Hungry Wilson, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Manipulation, Needy Wilson, Period-Typical Homophobia, Wilson feels responsible for the kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 17:50:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21103538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andynebulae/pseuds/andynebulae
Summary: Since taking Wendy, Webber and Abigail under his wing, food has been a huge problem for Wilson. Desesperated and hungry, he decides to try a deal with Maxwell. He just couldn't imagine what the shadow king would ask and how much Wilson would enjoy it.





	Wisps of Shadows

Wilson heard his stomach grumble as he finished preparing dinner. It's been a while since he got to eat his share of food. And once again, they didn't have food enough for the three of them. As much as he stomach complained, he won't dare to eat once again. Wendy and Webber where growing kids, and he would rather go throught another night without food than risk having the kids not eating enough.

It had been hard since he found the kids. They needed much of his help and he wouldn't dare leave them. But that meant two additional mouth to feed, to watch and to protect. Food had been scarce, more than the usual. The little extra food he had stored, enough to get him through some hard couple weeks, were almost all gone. His storage was meant for one person, not three. So Wilson did the only thing he could: stopped eating, so the food would last longer, so the kids would eat their fair share.

He did think this was a temporary solution until he got his hands in more food. But still he had no luck, as if the land itself didn't want him to be able to care for the kids. Wilson finished preparing the dinner, putting the food in two plates, as it had been the norm in the past days. The last of their food. Wilson needed to find a solution, and sooner rather later.

Wilson gave the plates to Webber and Wendy. He could see their starving stares to the food. Even them weren't eating as much as they should. Webber was the first to start to eat, no ceremonies, no worries, and Wilson couldn't help but smile at it. Wendy looked thoughtful to her dinner, and Wilson waited until she was ready to say whatever was in her mind.

"Aren't you going to eat as well, Wilson?" she asked, a hint of concern in her tone. Wendy was smart, sometimes more than Wilson wished. Of course she had noticed it. Despite his rumbling stomach, Wilson was determined to not let the kids worry about one more thing. As long as he could, Wilson would pretend everything was alright.

"No, sweetie, I have already eaten while I prepare the food." Wilson could only hope he was convincing, neither of the kids needed to know the truth, to worry about how long they could still live. Abigail seemed to whisper something to Wendy, to what Wendy only nodded, focusing back at her food.

Wilson had to supress a sigh of relief. One more day where he could avoid complicated conversations. But still he needed to find a solution for his problem. He wasn't sure how long he could yet go without food. And from that dinner on, it also meant no more food for the kids. He did have a faint idea, one he had been debating for a while. An idea he did not want to try, but that could be his only solution.

As soon as the kids were done with dinner, Wilson tucked them in their tent. With a good night kiss to the three kids, he exited the tent. He waited a bit, until he could hear the soft sound of sleeping kids. He really didn't need the kids to witness his last shot of getting food. If Wilson could, he would never reveal to the kids his solution: to strike a deal with the devil himself.

It was a long shot, Wilson was clear on that. But hope was still there, unwilling to die until Wilson had tried every single thing. The scientist got as far away as he could from the kids' tent, not wanting them to wake up with his chattering. With a strangled voice, with fear, with doubt, with too much pride for his own good, Wilson called for Maxwell.

Could Maxwell even hear him? And if he could, would he even care enough to come? Wilson wasn't even sure if he wanted the demon to actually come, but that won't stop him. "Maxwell! Please!" Wilson tried again. "Please, I have no one else to call..."

Wilson waited for a bit, a couple of calls more, but he was sure enough Maxwell won't come. And, of course, why would he? It probably was even Maxwell's fault that sudden lack of food. Just another game for the shadow king. Just a couple more lives to play with. But even so, Wilson hoped. He just couldn't let the kids die, not after so much heartache all of them had gone through.

The smell appeared even before the voice, tobacco and something else. A strong and woody smell that Wilson could never name. "Say, pal. You don't look so good," Maxwell said, a cruel smile on his face and a cigar on his claws.

"You came!" It was the first thing to leave the scientist's mouth, a shot too full of hope.

Maxwell raised an eyebrow, his smile getting bigger than before, as if it was even possible. "How could I not? I couldn't resist seeing such a sweet beg."

Wilson's pride surfaced for just a simple moment, an expression of shock and repulsion (for himself, for allowing to sink so low? Or for Maxwell, the devil who enjoyed seeing him like that? He wasn't even sure of it himself) painted Wilson's face. But the drop of Maxwell's smile and his displeased expression, where more than enough to make Wilson again throw away his pride.

"Of course, if I'm not appreciated, I can just go," Maxwell said serious, allowing a small smile to come back to his face, as Wilson's expression changed to fear and desperation.

"No, please!" Wilson pleaded, not without a sting to his ego. "We need food, please!"

"Thar's more like it," Maxwell stated, taking a breath of his cigar. "Whoever, you do know I don't do anything for free, don't you?"

"Of course," Wilson said, failing to leave all the resentment out of his voice. "I only have what you see there." Wilson gesticulated to his camp. "What would you want?"

Maxwell smile grew wider, as he feigned interest in looking at the camp. "Well, you have no food. Your tools," He gave a wave of his hand to a beaten up shovel in the ground. "Aren't anything I couldn't get better myself."

As Maxwell's gaze locked back at Wilson, the scientist was sure the demon had only appeared to taunt him, never intending to strike a deal, and he regretted calling for Maxwell. The demon took another breath of his cigar, before continuing, "Well, I guess it just leaves you for our deal."

It was as clear as day how Maxwell enjoyed the shocked expression that plastered Wilson's face. "What could you possible want me for?!" Wilson questioned, as he tried to think at any kind of task that would request someone as himself, and failing to see how the shadow king himself couldn't do better and faster anything Wilson could do.

Maxwell approached Wilson, a bit too much for the scientist's comfort. Maxwell vanished his cigar, and put his claws at Wilson's chin, forcing him to look up. "A kiss."

Wilson felt his heart skip a few beats, before thundering a bit too fast. A kiss! He couldn't possible had heard it right! "Y-you're a man!" Wilson yelped, a blush spreading through his cheeks. "I-I'm a man! We are both men!"

"How perceptive of you," Maxwell mocked, not moving an inch. "Do we have a deal, pal?"

The scientist took a step back, fleeing the demon's claws and his intoxicating smell. "I never thought of you as a poof!" And still Wilson couldn't help but imagine those fleshy lips against his, and wonder if Maxwell's taste would be as overpowering as his smell.

"You never fooled me, pal." Maxwell closed the space between them, claws back at Wilson's chin, forcing him to look at the demon's eyes. "I know how you feel. I know how much you would rather a lad's company over any lady. Don't ever think I haven't paid attention to you, Wilson."

Wilson's face was as hot as the campfire that illuminated their night, and he barely could hear over the fast turmoil of his heart. He opened his mouth just to close it just as fast. Could he really deny any of the demon's allegations? After so many years, hiding everything, trying so hard to not be a shame to his family, having the truth throw at his face left Wilson with no power to deny it, to try once again to pretend his feelings didn't exist.

"Look at where we are, there's no one left to judge you," Maxwell said, with such softness to his voice that Wilson couldn't even imagine him as the same demon that plagued his nightmares. "Do we have a deal, pal?"

"One kiss for food?" Wilson asked, almost breathless. Maxwell only nodded, waiting for the scientist to finish. "And enough food for the three of us?"

"A banquet to last the three of you many days," Maxwell reassured. His claws now gently stroking Wilson's cheek.

"One kiss?" Wilson asked again, closing his eyes. "Deal," he sighed, his hands against Maxwell's chest, unsure about how to even do such a simple thing as a kiss.

"Deal," Maxwell agreed.

Without hesitation, Maxwell softly placed his mouth at Wilson's parted lips. One of the king's clawed hands went to Wilson's hair, pulling him as close as possible, the other hand went to Wilson's waist, helping to support him. The scientist's dumbfounded hesitation vanished soon, his hands shot to Maxwell's hair, trying to pull him closer and closer. It didn't take long for Wilson to forget all of his reservations, lost to the moist heaven of the king's mouth.

It didn't take long for Maxwell to force his tongue into Wilson's mouth, exploring and caressing all it could touch. Soon, still a bit shy, Wilson let his own tongue do some exploration. But, in no time, Wilson's tongue was as eager as Maxwell's, caressing each other and pleading for more.

The two mouths parted ways, needing a breath from so much activity. Although the broken kiss, they remained close, Wilson's hands still intertwined to Maxwell's hair. The scientist presented a flushed face and ragged breath, still inches from the other man's face. Maxwell had a smirk in his mouth and was clearly ready to make a snarky comment about Wilson's enthusiasm.

Before anything could be said, Wilson pulled Maxwell closer and resumed the lively kiss. Maxwell felt shocked at the scientist's initiative, but he wasn't one to complain about such a thing, letting his shock melt back in pleasure. Their tongues were soon back at each other, caressing and tasting like they had never stopped. Wilson felt inebriated with Maxwell's taste: tobacco and something he didn't even know how to start to describe, so strong and overpowering that occupied Wilson's whole mind.

In no time at all, Wilson was pushed against a nearby tree, pinned between Maxwell and the hard wood. Clawed fingers left Wilson's waist to explore his stomach and then his chest, paying special attention to any sensitive spot they could find. A strangled moan left Wilson's still occupied mouth. One of Wilson's hand left the king's soft hair to stroke his soft face.

Maxwell, pleased with Wilson's reaction, started to explore Wilson's body, travelling south from his abdomen. He reached the brim of Wilson's pant and pulled past it, inside his pants, caressing his underwear and what laid hidden behind it, even more pleased with the hardness he found there.

Once again their kiss was broken, and this time Wilson pushed Maxwell away. Claws left Wilson's pants and hair, and Maxwell stood there, first with a shocked face and then with confusion. Such a violent reaction after such a good time. Wilson tried to slow down his breath, as he adjusted back his pants. Maxwell waited for Wilson to steady himself before he could ask for an explanation.

"A k-kiss, that was the deal, nothing more," Wilson finally managed, still a bit breathless. He avoided Maxwell's gaze, face too hot and crimson for his own comfort.

"One kiss, to be precise," Maxwell corrected, taking a step in Wilson's direction. "And yet you went for more. This had nothing to do with our deal."

Even if Wilson thought it was impossible, he felt his head become even more flushed and his heart accelerated. He couldn't reply to that. Maxwell was correct, he wanted that kiss as much as the king.

"What is the matter, pal?" Maxwell closed their distance, again claws in the boy's face. Touch as soft as his voice. "I thought we were having fun here, both of us."

"We- I- I'm not ready for this," Wilson almost whispered, closing his eyes to avoid Maxwell's reaction. "That's too fast for me."

Wilson felt soft lips again, a quick peck, but enough to make him open his eyes again. "That's alright, pal, I can wait. As long as you need." Maxwell had a soft, compassionate smile on his face, one Wilson had never saw before. "I guess it's about time you get your reward."

Maxwell stepped back, and Wilson had to control himself to not whine at the sudden lack of heat that irradiated from the king, his personal sun ready to go away. With a small snap of claws, Wilson could smell so many delicious dishes, that he was forced to remember all the hungry he still felt.

"It was a pleasure to make business with you," Maxwell said, making his cigar appear again from thin air. "If you need anything else, just call for me." Maxwell turned around, ready to walk away.

"Wait!" Wilson almost shouted, approaching the king again. "Can't you stay?"

Maxwell hesitated, turning back to face Wilson. "Sorry, pal." And his eyes almost screamed about how sorry he was. He took a breath of his cigar, and watched the smoked dissipate on the air. "But I can give you one last goodbye."

Claws where again at the boy's face, tilting his head up, as Maxwell lips gave Wilson a final kiss. This time it wasn't a hungry kiss, it was soft and sorrowful, a goodbye that didn't want to leave. The kiss broke, and then he was gone, wisps of shadows fleeing from the light.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I'll ever do more works with this fandom, but this had been fun! I really love Maxwell/Wilson, but I have been feeling a lack of fanfics with were they both want and enjoy what is happening, so here we are.


End file.
